My college career started out "blank." I came in with a blank list of friends or people I knew, a blank list of activities I was already a part of, a blank amount of family I could visit on the weekends, and blank idea on what to expect. And now, looking back, that sure sounds crazy! I am truly not sure how I built up the courage to move about 1,700 miles away to a "blank" flyover state (which I have learned is totally not true... there is so much to see in the midwest!), but I could not be more proud that I did. It was this move that I was able to start my time in college with a beautifully blank canvas which would soon rapidly fill with purple, passion, progress and purpose.
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| First day of Fall 2014. Thank you, Pinterest! ;) |
But this canvas would not have become so purple had I not taken one huge step out of my comfort zone. It would have been so easy to spend all free time in my dorm room, never initiate any conversations with new people I met, or not join any organizations which I had yet to know anybody who was a member. You see, it would have been so easy to remain "blank." But there is no growth in blank. There is no learning, friendships, or color. Blank would be boring. And you cannot make an impact on blank.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well, and I have always made sure to be more than just a surface-level member or student. I make it a priority to dedicate myself to organizations larger than myself. College is just four years (which are flying by much quicker than I would like to admit or accept), and I made a promise to myself to fill these four years with as many moments as possible. Little did I know how many moments would soon fill this canvas. Moments of growth & learning, moments of ups & downs, moments of laughter & sadness, moments of wins & losses. All of these moments, the pros & the cons, the positives & the negatives, I am proud to hang on my canvas.
These moments would not have been possible had I not dived into the opportunities at K-State my very first week of school. Had I not attended the K-State Hypnotist Show with a few people from my dorm floor even though I did not know any of them yet, I may not have met my best friend. Had I not applied for the SGA Intern Program, I may not have discovered my passion for government and leadership or been elected a student senator. Had I not taken a step out of my comfort zone by going through Sigma Alpha's sorority recruitment week, I would not have sisters with the same passion for agriculture as myself. You see, moments and chances like these brought so much color and splatter-paint to my once blank canvas.
This canvas is everything but perfect though, as nothing ever is. And it is important to mention that too. Throughout this year I also faced rejection from organizations or positions I had hoped to be a member of, I changed my major halfway through second semester, and I felt stress at a whole new level. But these harder moments resulted in growth, and for that, these moments give me a humbled emotion when looking at my canvas.
My canvas hangs vividly in my mind, and I could not be more proud of the person I have grown to be though painting this purple canvas. Thank you to the people, the friends, the family, the organizations, the academics and everything in-between for painting this canvas with me.
This canvas is everything but blank.
This canvas is purple. This canvas is passion. This canvas is progress. This canvas is purpose.
Living a life of purple, passion, progress and purpose,
Kaitlyn Alanis
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